Letters to the Editor

The publicly funded private prison project is rolling ahead with full steam. Many of our elected representatives are pushing this project with urgency never before seen.

I encourage everyone to learn the facts and to contact their legislators and borough assembly members to voice their opinions. A letter, phone call or e-mail to the governor may be most effective, as a majority of the Legislature has determined to pass this bill, regardless of whether the citizens of the Kenai Peninsula think this is in our best interests.

The governor's veto could be the only action that can stop another $100,000 payment to Cornell of our borough taxpayer dollars, which is in addition to $150,000 already awarded, for a project that has yet to be approved and before the feasibility study has ever been conducted.

Here are some Internet links, which contain more information about private prisons than most people want to know:

* http://www.stopprivateprisons.org/

* http://www.ccjc.org/index.htm (click on picture to enter site)

* http://www.independentfilms.com/corrections/pris_priv.htm

* http://www.corporations.org/privatization.

* http://www.security management.com/library/private.html

* http://www.corpwatch.org/trac/feature/prisons/index.html

* http://www.afscme.org/private/index.html

I do hope more people wake up to what the Legislature, our borough and others are planning to do in our backyard.

Their true reasons are veiled with euphemisms such as,"bringing our prisoners home" or "rehabilitating the high percentage of Alaska Native prisoners." What actually motivates the prison proponents is profit. I do support their euphemisms. I do not support their project.

The reasons to be against this project are too numerous to list but can be found through research, by looking into the facts. I encourage everyone to look into the facts and to take action against this project.